“The man asked a question to Akhileshji when he was on stage speaking during a women’s empowerment programme. Because Akhileshji could not see his face, he said the man should be brought to the front and his cap should be removed," SP’s Kannauj district, Munna Daroga.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav at the event in Kannauj Saturday. (Express photo)

A 27-year-old man was detained by the police over “commotion” at a public meeting addressed by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Kannauj Saturday. The man, who was part of the gathering, asked Akhilesh what his party would do to provide jobs to the youths and later chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’, party sources claimed. He was roughed up by some people in the crowd before being taken away by the police, who identified him as Govind Kumar Shukla.

SP’s Kannauj district, Munna Daroga said, “The man asked a question to Akhileshji when he was on stage speaking during a women’s empowerment programme. Because Akhileshji could not see his face, he said the man should be brought to the front and his cap should be removed. The man claimed to us that some people present at the event pulled his bag when he went near Akhileshji. He also claimed that when this happened, he chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’. Then, Akhileshji said it seems like he was intentionally sent to this meeting.”

Daroga added, “He (Govind Kumar Shukla) was taken away by police. We are not lodging a complaint against him. He is a local resident and his intention was not to offend Akhileshji. He is a student at a private college here. He wanted to flag the issue of unemployment to Akhileshji and wanted to ask him what he would do about jobs if SP is voted to power in the state.”

Kannauj Additional SP Vinod Kumar said, “The man has been detained. He is at the police station and we are doing a background check on him. He has no criminal background.”

After the incident, a video went viral on social media in which Akhilesh is puportedly reprimanding a policeman standing near the stage and asking him how the man entered the event venue. “How can he come here. With your security, how can he enter? What were you doing?,”Akhilesh is puportedly heard saying in the video.

Reacting to the incident, Mrityunjay Kumar, media adviser to Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath tweeted, “So chanting Jai Shree Ram is a criminal act according to him? @yadavakhilesh. UP is no more under you guys, now everyone can practice one’s religion without worrying about getting hit by bullets, like the ones your party had fired at innocent karsevaks.”

On Saturday evening, Samajwadi party media advisor Aashish Yadav tweeted, “The youth was raising a demand for employment, which is the responsibility of the BJP government…”

The media adviser also attached a video of Akhilesh saying, “He comes to your rally and says give me employment. He comes to your rally at the party office. He can say this because the path taken by the SP. Our approach was such, but we toned down. The day we fix theapproach, no body can enter after that.”